An understanding of prime rib cooking times is essential to cooking the perfect prime rib roast.
These Prime Rib Roast cooking instructions will result in a perfect roast if you use a meat thermometer.
Using a meat thermometer to measure the exact inside temperature of the roast is the ideal way to determine its doneness.
If you don’t have a meat thermometer and can’t get one, go by the cooking chart and it should be close.
If you really want perfection though, get your hands on a meat thermometer.
Prime Rib Cooking Times
These estimated roasting times are based on a minimum roast weight of 4 pounds (or 1.8 kg):
Recommended cooking temperature is 325ºF.
For Medium-Rare: Cook for 22 minutes per pound. Internal temperature on the meat thermometer should read 140ºF (or 60ºC) when the roast is removed from the oven.
For Medium: Cook for 25 minutes per pound. Internal temperature should read 155ºF (or 68ºC) when roast is removed from the oven.
For Well Done: Cook 30 minutes per pound. The internal temperature should be 165ºF (or 74ºC) when removed from the oven.
The minutes per pound are a guideline only. Exact cooking time can vary, which is why it is best to use a meat thermometer.
Allow 3 servings per pound of bone-in roast, 4 for a boned roast.
Tip:
For best results, the Beef Information Center recommends cooking your roast to medium-rare.
Put these prime rib cooking times to good use. You’ll find our classic prime rib recipe here.
It’s best served with a traditional yorkshire pudding recipe on the side.
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If you want to use the hot oven method, check out closed oven prime rib. You cook for a short time at 450-500 and then let sit off til done.
Prime Rib Roast Cooking
This tip was originally posted by Gail from Caledon, Ontario
I’m just looking at your timing for cooking prime rib. The temps and times are correct. A good suggestion to anyone cooking a prime rib roast is to start it off in a VERY hot oven for 1/2 hour then lower to the 325 for the rest of the time. A thermometer must be used when cooking this way as it throws off the timing.
Hi Karen,
Please define “very hot”. 425? 500?
In preparing a ten pounder and don’t want to blow it up.
Thanks, kathy
Hi Kathy,
The “very hot” oven was suggested by another contributor and she didn’t mention temp. I would do it at 425 to 450. That is actually what my mother would so when she made a roast. It makes sure the outside of the roast is nice and brown when you are done.
Karen